Earthquakes and tornadoes have taken thousands of human lives and caused severe injuries and suffering all over the world. While many of these deaths and injuries are not preventable, many deaths and injuries occur while the missing or injured person is asleep at home in his/her own bed. Many of these casualties occur in one, two or three story buildings. Typically these injuries and deaths are caused by falling objects which are internal to the house or apartment structure in which the casualty is sleeping. Ceilings and floors cave in and parts of the structure located above the sleeping casualty descend by gravity, due to natural calamities, hurricane, earthquake, tornado or other forces upon the unwary sleeping persons.
The present invention is structured so as to reduce or minimize the hazards from falling objects to sleeping persons during earthquakes and tornadoes.
Various canopies have been proposed in the prior art for beds, other sleeping compartments and shelters of varying types.
U.S. Pat. No. 493,305 issued to Sherman is directed to an adjustable ventilating canopy frame for beds. The main purpose of the canopy is to provide a simple frame embodying in its construction an adjustable ventilating fan. Hence this canopy is designed for the comfort of the person sleeping in the bed. The Sherman patent is characterized by having its upright members secured to the bed frame, itself. Thus it will be observed that the Sherman ventilating canopy is co-extensive with the bed, both in length and width.
U.S. Pat. No. 326,437 issued to Marsh is directed to a bed screen frame which is attached interiorly within the perimeter of the bed. The purpose of the Marsh adjustable frame is for the purpose of supporting screens of mosquito-netting and the like. The Marsh frame may be removed from the bed during seasons of the year when the suitable mosquito-netting or screen is not required.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,404,485 issued to Shellady is directed to a collapsible sleeping compartment whose object is to provide a compartment which can be set up readily to provide an enclosure containing a bed and a chair which constitute portions of a collapsible structure, thereby permitting a number of persons to occupy the same room, yet each person would have the privacy of a separate room. It will be observed that the purpose of the Shellady collapsible sleeping compartment is privacy and it does not protect from falling objects. Moreover, it will be observed that both the bed portion of the Shellady frame and the chair portion thereof are located within the perimeter of the Shellady compartment or canopy and the bed and chair are a portion of the Shellady collapsible sleeping compartment, whose portions actually constitute the surfaces on which a person may sleep or sit.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,362,567 issued to La Rue is directed to a knockdown picnic table with a canopy-supporting structure embodied therein. The embodiment of FIG. 1 of La Rue can be employed as a picnic table whereas the embodiment of FIG. 2 thereof can be employed as a bed upon removal of the canopy supporting frame. It will be observed that in both cases the La Rue structure forms a part of and is within the same perimeter as the bed upon which the person would sleep or the picnic table at which the person would sit.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,186 issued to Ball is directed to a canopy support for cots. It will be observed that the Ball supporting structure is designed for supporting a mosquito netting or tent over a camper's cot and is attached to the upper portion of the cot structure, itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,405 issued to Lawson is directed to a portable shelter in the form of an easily erected and collapsed canopy or covering adapted for use to protect against sun, rain or snow, and provide a beach shade, picnic shelter, tent lean-to, patio shade, shade for children's play pen, shade for a bathing pool, baby carriage and the like, or a shade for a boat. The Lawson portable shelter can also be used as a carport. The Lawson canopy consists of a sheet of pliable material, such as canvas or the like, having about its periphery a plurality of metal eyelets. This canopy is then supported by fasteners mounted to vertical support posts whose length can be variably positioned by apertures and pins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,445 issued to Ferguson is directed to a tent, e.g., used for camping, comprising end walls of trapezoidal shape and pole structures which support the tent via the tops of its end walls. The pole supporting structure is for the purpose of giving shape to and supporting the tent fabric.